GFP refuses to participate in Goa Liberation Day plans

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had last week announced that the state government will host a series of events from December 19, for which funding of Rs 100 crore has been sought from the Centre.

Panaji: The Goa Forward Party on Tuesday announced that it will not be a part of the year-long celebrations being planned by the state government to mark 60 years of the state's liberation from the Portuguese rule.

The GFP's working president Kiran Kandolkar said the party will not attend the meeting convened by the Pramod Sawant-led government.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had last week announced that the state government will host a series of events from December 19, for which funding of Rs 100 crore has been sought from the Centre.

"It's a waste of precious public money at a time when Goa's economy is in shambles and the state government is borrowing to pay salaries," Kandolkar said.

"We stand by our demand that the celebrations should be scrapped.

The money must be used to help rickshaw, bus and taxi owners who are badly affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic," he said. PTI Report